Approximation methods for gravitational radiation
One of the characteristic predictions of general relativity is that of
gravitational waves. Up to now these could only be observed indirectly
in astrophysical systems, but very soon detectors for gravitational
waves on earth will come into operation. In obtaining detailed
predictions about gravitational waves from general relativity, the only
way we know how to proceed is to apply approximation techniques. For
a long time I have been interested in putting these approximate methods
on a mathematical basis which is as solid as possible. Earlier I
studied post-Minkowskian and post-Newtonian approximations, with some
success. However the description of radiation only starts at the point
where considering these approximations separately ceases to be sufficient.
Recently
Markus Kunze
and I have obtained results which can be seen
as a first step in the direction of a mathematical understanding
of the approximation techniques used to describe radiation
( math-ph/0012041 ,
gr-qc/0105045
). Other work
approaching the same goal from another direction is being done by
Simone Calogero
in his PhD thesis.
Legal notice
Alan Rendall
Last modified: Fri May 16 11:07:29 MESZ 2003